Chapter 25
Libby was still reeling at lunchtime, but at least she was busy.
“Those chocolates you made are sooo good, Libby,” Zoe said, wandering out of the kitchen chewing. “I ate two before Ryder told me to stop.”
“Thanks.”
“The designs are awesome too. If the accounting doesn’t work out, you could always be a chocolatier.”
If only you knew. “Thanks, Zoe, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Zoe went to sit with her family, who was here early to help set up for the party, all loaded down with gifts and things to make Ally’s day even more special.
What did it say about Libby that she could be engaged one minute and sleeping with another man the next? She had no answer to that because this, who she was today, differed hugely from the Libby she’d been a few weeks ago.
But she knew she could never compare what she’d done with Ryder to anything she’d shared with Andrew. What happened in his office upstairs had been beyond anything she’d felt or experienced before. His touch, his kisses, the feeling of him inside her—it had been magical, if that was even the right word. Libby couldn’t think of another but knew she’d never forget what she and Ryder Duke had shared.
She looked to where he stood talking to Sawyer and Birdie, who had just arrived. Everything about that man was hot. The way he wore his clothes effortlessly, the look in his eyes when one of his family members was close, like he’d not seen them yesterday. She wasn’t sure how he could believe he was anything but special, and yet she knew he didn’t see what others did.
Ryder Duke may not have said it to her, but he believed he was average. The man could not be further from that if he tried.
He turned, as if sensing her watching him, and smiled. It was small and a little tentative, but still a smile because that was just another part of the man. He liked to make those around him feel good.
Libby looked at the milk she was frothing. She could be in serious trouble if she stayed in Lyntacky too much longer. You already are, she added silently as he laughed at something his brother said.
“Hey, Libby, I heard you did Dee’s books.”
“Hi, Jett.” She greeted one-half of the Hyland brothers, who she knew were plumbers in Lyntacky and the surrounding areas.
“Any chance you could look at ours?” He hefted a box onto the counter. She wasn’t sure what was in the water in Lyntacky, but who carried their accounts around with them on the off chance an accountant, who was working in a cafe—which should send alarm bells, if she was honest—could look at them.
“You’re paying,” Ryder said, returning to the counter.
“As if we wouldn’t,” Jett said, offended.
“I know what this town is like. You’re a bunch of freeloaders,” Ryder added.
Jett’s smile was guilty.
“Okay, I’ll take a look.”
Ryder’s phone rang as Jett left. “It’s for you,” he said after answering it. “Bob wants to talk to you, but it seems like your phone’s not working.”
“It broke,” she said quickly.
“Right, so it didn’t shatter into tiny pieces when you deliberately threw it on the ground and then stomped on it?”
“Caleb has a big mouth.”
“I’m not sure why you should be surprised by that,” he said, smiling.
It was the slow, easy one that made her feel a bit fluttery inside.
You cannot afford to feel fluttery. What happened, happened. But you can’t do it again, because your life is a train wreck.
“Thanks.” She took the phone. “Hi, Bob.”
“Should have your car ready the day after the Lynpicks,” Bob said.
“Thank you so much, Bob. Do you have a cost estimate?” Libby held her breath while she waited. Yes, Delores had paid her well, and with the money she had from Ryder, she was doing okay, but if she had to pay a huge mechanic bill, and wanted some for a place to stay if she left here, she would probably use it all.
The figure Bob said had her gulping, but she assured him that she’d of course have the money.
“All good?” Ryder said, holding out his hand. “I’ll just take that before you get angry with it.”
“I won’t.”
“Why did you with yours?”
They stood across from each other with people at his back completely unaware of what they talked about.
“I get angry and throw things sometimes.” Libby saw the flash of disappointment in his eyes, and then it was gone, but he didn’t call her on her lie.
She hated lying to this man but didn’t know how to tell him the truth… not yet. Plus she liked that no one knew who she was here. No one wanted anything from her. She was anonymous in Lyntacky.
Klaus arrived then, and she spent time showing him how Ryder’s coffee machine worked.
“Oh, hell no.”
Libby looked up at Ryder’s words and saw he was looking at a man approaching the counter.
“You’re not welcome in here, Finny,” she heard Ryder snarl.
The man wore a crisp white shirt and trousers with a straight middle seam down the legs. His shoes were polished brown leather.
“I beg your pardon?” The man looked surprised by Ryder’s words.
“You shut down my friend’s coffee hut and his livelihood, so get out. We don’t need your sort in here.”
Libby wasn’t sure many people had witnessed angry Ryder, considering the look on Klaus’s face.
“He was breaking the law,” Finny spluttered. “I should think you’d appreciate that seeing as him going out of business increases yours.”
Wrong thing to say, buddy. This is not a normal town, and these people aren’t normal people , Libby thought.
“Now, see, that’s where you’re going wrong,” Ryder said. “This is not a town that wants each other to fail like where you spawned from. We actually want the best for our friends. So whatever the fuck you did?—”
“Ryder,” Libby said, grabbing his arm as he leaned in to intimidate the man. “That’s enough.” It wouldn’t do him any good to irritate a man who could make his life difficult if he chose to. She then stepped in front of him. “Mr. Finny, is it?” Libby asked in a polite voice. “Klaus and Lea are very dear to people in this town and have been operating their coffee hut for many years. In that time, they’ve offered advice and counselling to those who need it. Their coffee hut is almost an institution in Lyntacky and loved by everyone. If you want to live here, you need to understand that, otherwise you’re going to be ostracized.”
“Damn fucking straight,” Sawyer said from behind her.
Turning, Libby noted all of Ryder’s family and the other customers in the cafe had formed a half circle behind her and Ryder.
“I’m doing my job,” Mr. Finny said, eyeing the people.
“Are you, though, or are you trying to cling to a position you no longer have and throw your weight around, which is hurting the Beckers?” Zoe said, coming to Libby’s side.
Libby saw the gaggle of giggling schoolgirls arrive then and hurry through the door, looking excited.
“You should leave,” Ryder said. “And don’t come back in here until you make it right, Finny.”
The man scurried out without another word.
“Thanks for that, Libby.” She felt Ryder’s warm hand on her shoulder. “What you said was exactly right, even if that shit weasel doesn’t understand the concept of friendship or loyalty, but more about that later. Right now, it’s party time.”
The girls all ran upstairs to ooh and aah over the decorations they’d put up for Ally’s birthday. The cake, too, was a success.
There was music, presents, and manicures courtesy of both Phoebe and Zoe, and Libby had to say it was a birthday party she would have loved at eleven years of age. Hers had always been big productions with loads of people that usually turned into a party for the adults.
“Everything okay, Klaus?” Libby asked him as he came upstairs an hour later.
“There’s someone here to speak with you, Libby.”
It was likely another local about their accounts, she thought. Now that word had spread, Libby was sure more would approach her, and she didn’t mind because she needed the money. But Libby knew that accounting wasn’t in her future; she just wasn’t sure yet what was.
“And I wanted to thank you for what you said to Finny,” Klaus added. “It was very kind of you to speak up like that.”
She kissed his cheek. “You and Lea have been very kind to me, and I know you’re special to the Lyntacks, so it was all true.”
Libby ran down the steps. As she reached the bottom, she saw who stood there. No!
“How did you find me?” Libby said, making herself close the distance between her, the man who’d raised her. With him was her brother. They usually went everywhere together. The rich and powerful head of Caldwell Candies and his equally powerful son. A worldwide company that had netted him and his family considerable wealth.
“Get your things. We’re leaving, Elizabeth.”
At least a head taller than her, Phillip Caldwell had married Samantha Gulliver, taken over her father’s small single candy store, and grown it into the empire it was today. He wore his usual uniform of a deep gray suit, and black overcoat.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, Father.”
“Don’t make this into an issue, Libby. You’ve thrown your tantrum. Now get your things, and we may be able to go home and fix the mess you’ve made,” her brother said.
“Samuel, shut up,” Libby said, which surprised him because she’d never spoken like that. “This is not some tantrum, and you should know me well enough to understand I’d never do something like walk out on my wedding without good reason.”
“We have no time for this, Elizabeth. We’ve taken the day away from work to bring you home,” her father said.
Neither of them had hugged her or leaned in to kiss her cheek and ask her if she was all right, like Ryder would have. Being here in Lyntacky had made her realize how cold and unemotional her family life was.
“Now, Elizabeth, whatever this is, it stops today. Let’s go. The jet is waiting about an hour’s drive from here?—”
“How did you find me?” she asked, backing up a step as he reached for her. His eyes narrowed. Samuel just stood watching her, but she could tell her words had made him think. Also tall, he was a replica of his father, but unlike him, Samuel had a softer side, and he loved his sisters, for all he was his father’s shadow.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is Andrew said he’d forgive you,” her father said, sounding irritated. Thankfully, the cafe was empty, so they didn’t have an audience.
“I don’t want him to forgive me. It’s me who should forgive him,” she said as calmly as she could. Her siblings had never worked out that yelling around Phillip Caldwell just made him angrier.
“Don’t be foolish. You humiliated him, and he’s willing to overlook that.” Her father’s hand clamped around her wrist.
“Problem?”
No, no, no.
Asher Dans had arrived for Ally’s birthday party.
“This is no concern of yours,” her father said, not even looking at him, which was rude, but then when you were as rich as him, you thought you could get away with anything.
“Well, it is if it takes place in my town, and it’s upsetting Libby,” Asher Dans said, smiling. “I’m Chief Dans.”
“Phillip Caldwell and my son, Samuel,” her father said, gripping Libby’s hand tight in case she tried to flee.
The sound of footsteps behind her had Libby stiffening, and she turned to find Ryder approaching.
She’d wanted to be just Libby Gulliver away from her family and the people who knew her for a while longer, but it seemed like now the game was up.
“You might want to take your hands off my staff.” Ryder’s words came out a low growl.
“Staff,” her father scoffed. “My daughter doesn’t work here. She works for me.”
“And who might you be?”
“Phillip Caldwell,” he snapped.
“Father—”
“Shut up now, Libby, you’ve caused our family enough embarrassment,” her father said.
“Don’t speak to her like that. She’s your daughter. Show her some respect,” Ryder said, his eyes locked on her father.
The shock on her family’s faces would have made her laugh if she’d not been in a state of panic.
“Caldwell, not Gulliver,” Ryder said slowly. “Another lie.”